Holding Center

by Ken
(Pittsburgh)

Sensei, thank you in advance for any help you can give me. When doing Kata should there be a strong push sideways with the kissaki toward your opponent’s kissaki, or should you try to keep centered with only slight pressure toward their sword?

Ken

Answer: Thank you for your question. It is a very nice question! My answer to your question is to keep the centre. But in kata No.4, when your sword and your opponent’s cross by striking men and you and your opponent come back to chūdan, then you and your opponent must fight for the centre, i.e. slightly push each other’s sword.

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